Impact falls 3-1 in Toronto

The Montreal Impact fell 3-1 to Toronto FC, Saturday night at BMO Field. Midfielder Sebastian Giovinco scored a brace and Jonathan Osorio added to his team's lead before Alejandro Silva answered for Montreal in a game where all four goals were scored in the first half.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

"We weren't good enough defensively in the first half," said Impact head coach Rémi Garde. "I didn't get the impression that we were able to pick up our intensity when we didn't have the ball. As of then, we put ourselves in danger quite quickly. We conceded three goals in 30 minutes, something we haven't done in a very long time."

With seven games left to play in the MLS regular season, the Bleu-blanc-noir still maintains the sixth and last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Home side on the board early

Toronto took the early lead at home in this one, in the seventh minute, when Justin Morrow played a ball through the defenders for Sebastian Giovinco. Alone in front of Evan Bush, the Italian striker took a touch before chipping the American 'keeper to give TFC the lead.

The home team scored a second in the 22nd minute. Giovinco, working on the right touchline near the 18-yard box, passed to Jonathan Osorio in the box. The Canadian international protected the ball and passed back to the Italian, who dribbled past his defender and slotted a second past Bush.

In the 29th minute, the Ontario team added another. Lucas Janson's one-time flick rebounded off a Montreal defender and back to his feet. He was able to quickly find Osorio, who chipped Bush to give his side a 3-0 lead.

The Impact caught the home side by surprise by getting one back just a minute later, in the 30th minute. Taïder combined with Piatti in midfield before sending Alejandro Silva loose on the right side. The Uruguayan took a quick touch before hammering his strike to the top left corner, getting the visitors on the board.

In the 40th minute, Silva almost scored a second after Taïder was fouled right outside the box, but the midfielders attempt from the set piece rattled the crossbar to the keeper's right.

"We were too soft coming into this game," said midfielder Samuel Piette. "We didn't win duels and Toronto defended well. It was hard to come out of our own end. It's hard to come back when you concede three goals in 20 minutes. We created some opportunities, but it lost us the game."

Toronto defensive in the second

After a wide-open first 45, Toronto came out more compact in the second. The Bleu-blanc-noir came back from the locker rooms having made an attackingminded substitution, bringing on striker Quincy Amarikwa for a third straight game, this time in place of midfielder Ken Krolicki.

Taïder got a good chance on goal when Silva's cross found the Algerian alone in the box, but his header missed over the bar.

In the 82nd minute, the Impact was inches from a second goal, when Amarikwa's cross into the six-yard box was deflected onto the post by Justin Morrow, but the rebound trickled out for a corner. A minute later, Amarikwa got on the end of a Bacary Sagna cross, but his header was blocked by a diving Bono.

"We could've recognized the dynamic of the game and not put our heads down," said defender Daniel Lovitz. "They didn't have any chances in the second half. It just came down to us not being clinical enough in the box. It wasn't an all-round good effort. The foundation of how we work together wasn't there tonight, and I think that's the most important thing to take away."

Upcoming games

The Impact will host the New York Red Bulls at Stade Saputo on Saturday, September 1 at 7:30pm (TICKETS - TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690) before the international break. The team will then travel to Pennsylvania to face the Philadelphia Union in another important matchup for Montreal's hopes of qualifying to the playoffs, on Saturday, September 15, at 7:30pm (TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690).

GAME STATISTICS LINE-UPS

MTL - Gk-evan Bush; Bacary Sagna, Rod Fanni, Rudy Camacho, Daniel Lovitz; M-samuel Piette, Micheal Azira, Ken Krolicki (Quincy Amarikwa 46'); Falejandro Silva (Jeisson Vargas 58'), Matteo Mancosu, Ignacio Piatti, Saphir Taïder

Subs not used - Clément Diop, Jukka Raitala, Chris Duvall, Shamit Shome, Matteo Mancosu

TOR - Gk-alex Bono; D- Drew Moor, Eriq Zavaleta, Gregory van der Wiel, Justin Morrow; M-jonathan Osorio, Marco Delgado, Michael Bradley, Víctor Vázquez (Ashtone Morgan 62'); F-lucas Janson (Tosaint Ricketts 78'), Sebastian Giovinco (Jay Chapman 73')

Subs not used - Clint Irwin, Nick Hagglund, Liam Fraser, Ryan Telfer GOALS

TOR - Giovinco (Morrow) 7'

TOR - Giovinco (Osorio) 22'

TOR - Osorio (Janson) 29'

MTL - Silva (Taïder) 30' CAUTION

MTL - Sagna 63'